Air circulating and humidifying device



Oct. 16, 1951 D. M. VAUGHAN 2,571,173

AIR CIRCULATING AND HUMIDIFYING DEVICE Filed Sept. 26, 1946 2 SheeLS-Sheet 2 mum Illl

INVENToR. DAV/D M. VUGHN A TTORNE Y Patented ct. 16, 95

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR CIRCULATING AND HUMIDIFYING DEVICE Application September 26, 1946, Serial No. 699,363

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to air circulating and humidifying devices. It has to do particularly with air circulating and humidifying devices for use in rooms, chambers, or compartments, such as the incubating and/ or hatching rooms or compartments of incubators.

Various means have been provided heretofore for circulating air and for humidifying the circulated air in chambers or compartments, such as incubators, but in some instances a considerable amount of Water has been wasted and it has been difficult to produce and maintain a constant degree of humidity. Moreover, previous devices of the foregoing nature have been made so that the humidier element was mounted directly upon the fan and at least in some instances, was caused to rotate at the same speed of rotation as that of the fan. By virtue of the fact that the humidier element rotated at such a rapid speed, a sufficient quantity of air could not pass through nor come in contact with the rapidly rotating element. Consequently, a proper humidity could not be maintained.

In certain installations, it is particularly desirable that a given degree of humidity be maintained constant at all times. This is particularly true with the incubation of eggs and the hatching of chicks, ducks, geese, poults and wild birds, such as pheasant.

In general, the present invention relates to an air circulating and humidifying device in which a fan and a humidifier are mounted on the same shaft, the former being adapted toV rotate with the shaft in one direction and the latter being adapted to rotate in the opposite direction, there being gear means and pulleys disposed between the shaft and the humidier for rotating the humidifier at a considerably slower rate of speed than the speed of rotation of the fan.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved air circulating and humidifying device or unit capable of producing and maintaining the proper degree of humidity within a chamber or compartment at all times.

A further object of the invention is to provide -a device as aforesaid whose emciency is consideri known devices.

Another object of the invention is to secure a higher movement of air` about the humidifier through the greater speed of the fan and the slower movement, in an opposite direction, of the humidifier element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character which is of relatively simple construction, containing relatively few parts, and one which may be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description and appended claimswhen considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In said drawings:

Fig. v1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the hatching compartment or chamber of a mammoth incubator.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken substantially along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,`

looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational View, on an enlarged scale and partly broken away, of the humidifying device embodying the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View through the humidifying device and its supporting shaft and cabinet wall.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail View of the structure Within the circle shown in Fig. 4 and indicated by the numeral 5 and the arrow; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention isv not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, the air circulating and humidifying device of the present invention is shown, merely by way of example, in conjunction vwith a compartment or chamber of an incubator of the so-called mammoth type. The chamber or compartment, shown as a whole at l0, has a rear or back wall Il and a swingable front door or closure l2. The rear wall I l is provided with a plurality of Ventilating openings I3 and I4 which 'are controlled by a rotatable disk or cover I5 having corresponding openings formed therein. These Ventilating openings are provided for the purpose of permitting the fan within the chamber or comportment to draw fresh air into said chamber.

A rotatable drive shaft I6 having an inner reduced portion I1 is journaled in a suitable bearing (not shown) mounted in an opening in the rear wall I I. The outer end of shaft IS, exterior- 1y of the chamber or compartment, carries a pulley I8, see Fig. 1, which pulley is driven by a belt or chain I9 from a pulley carried by the shaft 2| of an electric motor 23. Thus, the shaft portions I6 and I1 are driven or rotated at the desired speed by the motor 2U and its driving connections.

The humidifying device embodying the present invention is shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and comprises, as shown, an inner metal ring 22 carrying an outer metal ring 23, the latter being provided with an annular groove or trough 24 of substantially U-shape cross section, having a lip or flange portion 24a. It is to be understood that the ring members 22 and 23 are secured together as seen in Fig. 5, by means of screws 25 and are held in spaced relationship by virtue of the fact that the ring 23 has countersunk openings 23a formed therein within which the screws 25 are located. The rings 22 and 23 support between them a fabric wick member 26 which is preferably of disk shape, having a central opening to register with and permitting the inner edges to be gripped by the rings. The outer peripheral edge of the wick 26 may be detachably connected to an annular wire member 21, see Fig. 4. The outer annu- 5 lar wire member 21 is connected to an inner annular wire member 28, see Figs. 3, 4 and 5, by means of a series of spokes or radiating wire-like arms 29. Strap members engage the inner ends of the spokes 29 and secure them and wire member 28 to the face of the ring 23 by the use of screws or the like 30a. Thus, the fabric wick, which may be formed from burlap or other suitable fabric, is held in place by the circular frame which is composed of the inner circular wire member 28, the outer circular Wire member 21, the connecting spokes 29, and the two secured-together rings 22 and 23.

The humidifying device just described is associated with the shaft portion I1 and is located between an air circulating fan 3I and the rear wall II. The device is preferably driven by a gear train, the latter being associated with the shaft I1 and driven by said shaft. This gear train is best seen in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings and comprises, as shown, a base or mounting plate 32 which is attached to the inner face of the rear wall II by means of several bolts or cap screws 3.5, one such being shown in Fig. 3. A driving gear 34 is iixedly mounted upon the shaft I1 and is in mesh with a pair of driven gear members 35 and 36 rotatably mounted upon the backing plate 32 by means of cap screws or bolts 31. Each of the gears 35 and 33 has threadedly connected to its outer face so as to form a part thereof and to rotate therewith, a friction pulley 38 through which the bolt or cap screw 31 extends to permit said pulley to have free movement of rotation with its attached driven gear. Each gear 35 and 36 is also provided with a bearing assembly 3S, see G, upon which the gears rotate. stood that each of the pulleys 38 has a peripheral groove 33a formed therein and that these grooves receive and support the inner edge 22a of the humidifier unit ring 22. While shown as separate parts, the gears 35 and 36 and their respective It will be under- 4 pulleys 38 may be formed in one piece. Moreover. all of the gears, or any of them, and for that matter, the pulleys, too, may be formed from metal, such as bronze, which will not rust or corrode. It may be desirable, however, to form the gears 35 and 36 from liber, or other non-metallic material. Such gears provide for a more silent operation.

'I'he backing plate 32 for supporting the gear train, also supports a pair of friction pulleys 40, each of which is mounted by means of a cap screw 4Ilb upon an adjustable bracket or arm 42 having a slot 43 formed in its outer end. The inner end of each bracket 42 is pivotally mounted at 4I upon the plate 32. Releasable bolts or cap screws 44 are associated with the slots 43 and thus permit the two brackets 42, with their supported idler pulleys 48, to be swung upwardly or inwardly toward one another so as to clear and thus permit the humidifier element to be slipped into position with respect to the gear train. After the ring 22 has been slipped over the pulleys with its inner edge 22a engaged with the two upper pulleys 38,I the brackets 42 are swung outwardly or downwardly until the grooves 4Da of the pulleys (see Fig. 4) are moved into frictional contact with the inner edge 22a of the ring 22.

It will be understood that when the motor 20 rotates the shaft I6, I1 the gear 34 rotates the gears 35 and 35 and in turn the positively driven pulleys 38 to frictionally drive or rotate the humidifier unit. The pulleys 40 serve as idler and guide pulleys for the ring member 22 of the unit as it is revolved in a clockwise direction.

Water or other suitable liquid from a source of supply to a valve chamber 45 is fed through a pipe 46 and is discharged into the annular trough-like portion 24 of the humidifier unit. As the unit is rotated, water passes from the trough 24 to the cloth or wick member 26 and by virtue of centrifugal force and capillary action, the water moves outwardly toward the periphery of the wick, thus saturating the wick throughout its entire area. As the fan 3| is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by the motor 20, moistureladen air will be drawn or sucked through the wick and circulated within the compartment I0. The amount of water which is fed to the humidifier unit or element may be controlled by a suitable valve in chamber 45 in accordance with the quantity needed to produce and maintain the desired degree of humidity within the chamber or compartment IU.

By virtue of the gear train arrangement, it will be understood that the humidifier unit will be driven in one direction and the air circulating fan in the opposite direction, and also that because of a gear ratio of approximately 10 to 1, although other ratios may be used, the humidifier unit will be driven at a considerably slower speed of rotation than the fan 3I. In fact, with the ratio specified, the fan travels approximately 10 times faster in one direction than the humidifier unit travels in the opposite direction. Because of the considerably slower speed or movement of the humidifier unit with its water saturated wick, say at approximately 42 R. P. M. and the high speed of rotation of the fan, all of the air drawn by the fan through or around the humidifier wick actually contacts moisture held by or contained in the wick. Heretofore, as indicated above, where the wick and the fan both travelled at the same high speed and in the same direction, it was impossible for a suiiicientvolume of air to pass through and about the humidifier element. Thus, the humidification provided by previously known devices was not satisfactory or constant.

If desired, a semi-circular trough 50 may be disposed beneath and adjacent to the lower portion of the humidifier unit to catch any surplus moisture which may possibly be discharged or thrown olf by the wick 26. The trough may-be provided with a drain pipe or overflow see Fig. 1.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. Means for circulating and humidifying air within a cabinet in which the means is associated with a wall of said cabinet, comprising a shaft extending through the cabinet wall, a motor on one side of the wall for driving the shaft, a fan mounted on the shaft at the other side of said wall and rotatable with the shaft at the speed thereof in one direction, a frame-supported moisture-containing member located between the fan and wall and spaced from the fan, means for supplying water to said member in the vicinity of the center of the member, and a gear train associated with said shaft and said moisturecontaining member for rotating the member at a slower rate of speed than and in the opposite direction from said fan.

2. Structure according to claim 1, wherein the frame-supported moisture-containing member comprises a circular metal frame and a detachably supported fabric disk-like wick.

3. Structure according to claim 1, wherein the gear train comprises a driving gear and combined driven gears and friction pulleys.

4. Structure according to claim 1, wherein the gear train comprises a driving gear and combined driven gears and friction pulleys, wherein the moisture-containing member comprises a metal frame and a fabric wick, and wherein said frame includes a fixed ring frictionally engaged with and driven by the friction pulleys of the gear train.

DAVID M. VAUG-HAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 779,414 Davidson Jan. 10, 1905 1,074,037 Barry Sept. 23, 1913 1,130,267 Grin Mar. 2, 1915 1,212,462 Donnelly Jan. 16, 1917 1,394,417 Kroth Oct. 18, 1921 1,981,767 Zellweger Nov. 20, 1934 2,068,090 Stilphen Jan. 19, 1937 2,289,825 Burton et al July 14, 1942 

